New research indicates that volcanic activity on the moon continued long into Earth's dinosaur age, suggesting a more recent occurrence than previously thought. A study published in the journal Science reveals that three tiny glass beads collected from the moon's surface in 2020 by a Chinese probe contain evidence of lunar volcanic activity as recent as 120 million years ago. This challenges earlier assumptions that volcanic activity had ceased about 2 billion years ago and opens up new possibilities for understanding the moon's geological past.

The findings are a result of an examination of approximately 3,000 lunar glass beads, believed to be remnants of volcanic eruptions or meteorite impacts. After careful analysis of their textures and chemical composition, three of the samples were determined to have originated from volcanic activity. These discoveries are particularly significant because they suggest that smaller celestial bodies, like the moon, could have maintained internal heat and vitality until surprisingly late stages in their evolution.

Co-authors of the study, Professor Li Qiu-Li and Associate Professor He Yuyang from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, explained in an email that the existence of such recent lunar volcanic activity poses intriguing questions about the moon's internal processes over millions of years. However, the paper also highlights that the mechanisms that allowed the moon to remain volcanically active for such a prolonged period are still unclear and merit further investigation.

Qian Yuqi, a planetary volcanism researcher from the University of Hong Kong, who was not involved in the research, commented on the significance of this discovery. He raised important questions about the sources of these relatively young volcanoes, suggesting that future missions should be conducted to seek answers and deepen our understanding of the moon’s geology.

The Chang'e 5 lunar mission, which brought back the glass bead samples, marks the first return of lunar samples since the United States' Apollo program and the Soviet Union's Luna 24 mission in the 1970s. This groundbreaking mission has provided researchers with crucial insights into the moon's geological history. In June, China achieved another remarkable feat by successfully retrieving rocks from the far side of the moon through its Chang'e-6 mission.

As scientists continue to unlock the mysteries of the moon through these groundbreaking missions, the discovery of relatively young lunar volcanoes offers a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of celestial bodies and their evolving landscapes. The implications of this research extend beyond our celestial neighbor, opening the doors for further exploration and inspiring new missions to uncover the origins and mechanisms of lunar volcanic activity.